More new photos received this morning from Olivia & Minette - enjoy!
Star Chapel Ceiling
In 1980 the Star Chapel was created by Co-Founders, Lawrence Durdin-Robertson and his sister Olivia. They worked together painstakingly to clear an ancient wine cellar in the basement of the Castle. The ceiling was designed by Lawrence to show many of the wonderful non-zodiac constellations such as the Polar Constellations, including Caer Arianrhod, her Pole Star home, and the Great Bear.
There are Cygnus the Swan, the Ariadne Crown, Andromeda’s Sea Monster, Sirius, Orion & Cassiopeia. Having first painted the whole ceiling deep blue, Lawrence created cardboard stencils. These Olivia then used to paint the stars in gold. Here are some small photos of parts of the ceiling just to give a sense of it.
Olivia pointed out Sirius at the top of the first photo below.
Ceiling Stars
In the Star Chapel: Ishtar Altar
This is the High Altar of the Goddess Ishtar of Babylon.
She descended the 7 planes from the Stars to the last level, the Earth, to rescue her lover, Tammuz, Shepherd of the Starry Flocks. The 7 stages are shown from the White Angel with wings, A mirror showing Ishtar, Ishtar & Tammuz together in a statuette, a silk frontal with a painting of the Goddess (by OR), and finally the Offspring of Ishtar & Tammuz as a Star Child with a Moon and a White Cat representing all creatures born of Ishtar as Lady of 15 (The Moon) & of the 8 pointed Star Venus, which is in the heart of all beings.
Olivia Robertson writes: “I would like to share a psychic experience I was given on Wed 27th April, 2011, which inspired me to paint the Star Child:”
“While lying in bed at 6 am, I found myself standing before the Ishtar Altar. I was puzzled because a shining figure made of pure white light was blocking my view of the Altar frontal, of my painting of the Winged Goddess. The figure was that of a child – I could not determine the gender. I believe the child represents the Star Children from beyond our earth who are incarnating at present. However, all of us, old and young are born of the Goddess, so we may share this gentle coming with equality, happiness and love.”
Also in the Chapel of the Stars…
Altar of the Goddess Tara
Star of the Mountain.
Again we have stages of incarnation. Above is the Winged Isis. Below is the painting of the Goddess made of White Light who came to OR, then below that a large painted medallion of Tara laughing, by OR, with an unexpected blackbird by her white wing. Sharing her liveliness is a large blue dolphin, splashing on the Altar. The frontal shows a Tara Hill with stars. Her hills are all over the earth. The Dolmen is Her Star Doorway.
Altar of Aquarius
Dedicated to Amaterasu No Kami, Sun Goddess of Japan
Altar furnishings designed by William Morris in the 19th Century with gold-leaf ‘fleur-de-lys’. A Sun disc with Japanese face, represents the Goddess and another in gold below this is of Uzumi who drew Amaterasu out of Her cave to shine again by her dancing, thus founding No Plays. The cloth frontal of 3 Japanese Muses was brought back by OR from Japan. To the left is a Japanese, fox fairy, represented by an Art Nouveau face & cloth Illustrating ‘fin-de-siècle’ Japanese influence in French art.
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Archival Link: Temple Update May 8, 2011
(Photos copyright M. Quick with additional enhancement by this website. Our thanks to Olivia & Minette!)
